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Thread: Digger Trucks

  1. #1

    Default Digger Trucks

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    What kind of diggers do you guys like the best? We are looking for a digger with a 60 ft. boom. We will be setting poles from 45 ft. to 90 ft. In several cases we will be setting transmission poles but the boom will have to be able to reach over double distribution circuits. All of our diggers are Altec but the demo we have now is a piece of junk. We demo two Terex one was strong as hell and the other couldn't pull a 30 ft pole 8 steps. Would like your opinion.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by THE KID View Post
    What kind of diggers do you guys like the best? We are looking for a digger with a 60 ft. boom. We will be setting poles from 45 ft. to 90 ft. In several cases we will be setting transmission poles but the boom will have to be able to reach over double distribution circuits. All of our diggers are Altec but the demo we have now is a piece of junk. We demo two Terex one was strong as hell and the other couldn't pull a 30 ft pole 8 steps. Would like your opinion.
    We have an Altec DT-80 I believe is the model # of the digger, it has 80'of sheave height and is fine for setting wood poles but when it comes to concrete poles even 55' distribution poles that weigh around 5000lbs it is a pain unless you can set up right on top of the hole which is rarely the case, you have to fight it for hours locking out the boom or the winch, we have much better luck using a crane,go over the top of everything pick up the pole set it, usually done in less than half an hour, I would try to talk them into a crane if you are gonna be setting many concrete poles. I know our company gave 330,000 for that DT-80 International 4x4 cab and chassis and could have got a 38 ton altec rear mounted crane on virtually same cab and chassis for around 260,000 bucks which we could get a lot more use out of, not to mention save on crane rental, just my opinion, hope this helps.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lineman North Florida View Post
    We have an Altec DT-80 I believe is the model # of the digger, it has 80'of sheave height and is fine for setting wood poles but when it comes to concrete poles even 55' distribution poles that weigh around 5000lbs it is a pain unless you can set up right on top of the hole which is rarely the case, you have to fight it for hours locking out the boom or the winch, we have much better luck using a crane,go over the top of everything pick up the pole set it, usually done in less than half an hour, I would try to talk them into a crane if you are gonna be setting many concrete poles. I know our company gave 330,000 for that DT-80 International 4x4 cab and chassis and could have got a 38 ton altec rear mounted crane on virtually same cab and chassis for around 260,000 bucks which we could get a lot more use out of, not to mention save on crane rental, just my opinion, hope this helps.
    Are you permitted to operate a crane that will lift that much on your lineman ticket or do you need a special ticket? This is what's required up here.

    A Hoisting Engineer is a person trained to maintain and operate the large cranes needed to lift, move and position heavy materials such as concrete, steel, gravel, construction supplies and machinery. They work at construction and industrial sites, ports, factories, warehouses, dockyards or rail yards.

    This is a compulsory regulated trade in Ontario. This means it is compulsory for all workers who wish to practice in this trade attain trade certification. Detailed information on what this means is in this Guide on page 5, in the section on Certification requirements in Ontario.

    The hoisting engineers trade is divided into three different categories, each with its own certification requirements:

    * Branch 1, Mobile Crane Operators (also known as 339A Mobile Crane operators, unlimited capacity) , maintain and operate mobile cranes capable of raising, lowering or moving material that weighs more than 16,000 pounds (a lifting capacity of more than 15 tons or 13,636 kg.). There are many types of mobile cranes and there are a variety of attachments, that might fall into this category include (but are not limited to:
    o pile driving cranes, which drive stakes into the earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
    o cranes with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
    o gantry cranes, which load and unload a ship's cargo
    o locomotive cranes, which move objects and materials at railway yards
    o bridge or overhead cranes, which lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
    o offshore oil rig cranes, which unload and reload supply vessels
    o cranes mounted on boats or barges, which lift, move and place equipment and materials
    o dragline cranes, which expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines.



    * Branch 2, Mobile Crane Operators, (also known as 339C Mobile Crane operators) maintain and operate mobile cranes capable of raising, lowering or moving material that weighs more than 16,000 pounds but less than 30,000 pounds (a lifting capacity of eight to 15 tons, or 7,273 kg to 13,636 kg.).

    Because of this they trained some guys to get there Branch 2 & also had trucks derated.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by lewy View Post
    Are you permitted to operate a crane that will lift that much on your lineman ticket or do you need a special ticket? This is what's required up here.

    A Hoisting Engineer is a person trained to maintain and operate the large cranes needed to lift, move and position heavy materials such as concrete, steel, gravel, construction supplies and machinery. They work at construction and industrial sites, ports, factories, warehouses, dockyards or rail yards.

    This is a compulsory regulated trade in Ontario. This means it is compulsory for all workers who wish to practice in this trade attain trade certification. Detailed information on what this means is in this Guide on page 5, in the section on Certification requirements in Ontario.

    The hoisting engineers trade is divided into three different categories, each with its own certification requirements:

    * Branch 1, Mobile Crane Operators (also known as 339A Mobile Crane operators, unlimited capacity) , maintain and operate mobile cranes capable of raising, lowering or moving material that weighs more than 16,000 pounds (a lifting capacity of more than 15 tons or 13,636 kg.). There are many types of mobile cranes and there are a variety of attachments, that might fall into this category include (but are not limited to:
    o pile driving cranes, which drive stakes into the earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
    o cranes with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
    o gantry cranes, which load and unload a ship's cargo
    o locomotive cranes, which move objects and materials at railway yards
    o bridge or overhead cranes, which lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
    o offshore oil rig cranes, which unload and reload supply vessels
    o cranes mounted on boats or barges, which lift, move and place equipment and materials
    o dragline cranes, which expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines.



    * Branch 2, Mobile Crane Operators, (also known as 339C Mobile Crane operators) maintain and operate mobile cranes capable of raising, lowering or moving material that weighs more than 16,000 pounds but less than 30,000 pounds (a lifting capacity of eight to 15 tons, or 7,273 kg to 13,636 kg.).

    Because of this they trained some guys to get there Branch 2 & also had trucks derated.
    You have to hold a crane operators license to operate it... at least in NY you do.

    I'm not sure where the cut off is but, utility workers are exempt to a certain weight/ height. So they can operate normal 3 stage Digger/ derricks. 60 ft sticks in my mind but it might be less.

  5. #5

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    We have an Altec DT-80 I believe is the model # of the digger, it has 80'of sheave height and is fine for setting wood poles but when it comes to concrete poles even 55' distribution poles that weigh around 5000lbs it is a pain unless you can set up right on top of the hole which is rarely the case, you have to fight it for hours locking out the boom or the winch, we have much better luck using a crane,go over the top of everything pick up the pole set it, usually done in less than half an hour, I would try to talk them into a crane if you are gonna be setting many concrete poles. I know our company gave 330,000 for that DT-80 International 4x4 cab and chassis and could have got a 38 ton altec rear mounted crane on virtually same cab and chassis for around 260,000 bucks which we could get a lot more use out of, not to mention save on crane rental, just my opinion, hope this helps



    we only set wood or steel poles no concrete.

  6. #6

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    Lewy, I work for a municipality so the rules that we go by vary a little bit, I am not a State certified crane operator, I was certified by a crane company to operate the 23 ton rough terrain crane that we used to have, we used it for linework and it was not hired out, so the certification was more to provide a few of us with training and to cover the municipality in case of an accident, when we hire a crane now it comes with a State certified operator. The Kid, if you are setting mostly wood poles the DT-80 should be just fine for you, not sure about the steel poles as I don't know what they weigh, I suspect considerably less than concrete.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Heart of Virginia, USA
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    764

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    if your setting wood with a linetruck you need to be an IBEW operator or an IBEW Journeyman... anything set with a crane you need to one of the former 2 with a crane endorsement... or it defaults to the IUOE... if youre coming form a pure union point of view...

    personally... if it's electriacal in nature... it need to be set by the IBEW I don't care how big or heavy it is... if the IUOE wants it... well they need to stick to skyscrapers and ship yards... on thing we used to to in those building and tades places was frame the stick... be it creete steel what ever... with a few GB's... as soon as those fuggers where on the stick it became all IBEW... the iron workers had to fug off too... do every thing you can do to keep our work OURS!!!

    bad enuff the fuggin narrowbacks are building stations with the help of their "subtecs"... we need to take line work back... one step at a time...

    for what it's worth...

    Edge

  8. #8
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    Sep 2004
    Location
    Heart of Virginia, USA
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    sorry what I posted sorta was a derail...

    I prefer terex or pitman linetruck diggers... alteck can be good but it's a roll of the dice....

    Edge

  9. Default

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    Quote Originally Posted by THE KID View Post
    What kind of diggers do you guys like the best? We are looking for a digger with a 60 ft. boom. We will be setting poles from 45 ft. to 90 ft. In several cases we will be setting transmission poles but the boom will have to be able to reach over double distribution circuits. All of our diggers are Altec but the demo we have now is a piece of junk. We demo two Terex one was strong as hell and the other couldn't pull a 30 ft pole 8 steps. Would like your opinion.
    Are you using the pole jack to pull poles??
    How come you are setting poles over double circuits, are they that low?

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